Space-Age Folding Toilet Cuts Down on Space + Water Use

Some designs don’t change much over decades, and it’s usually because the typical design works and doesn’t need improvement. A perfect example is the toilet typically found in the Western world. While some differences exist from one country to the next, the classic porcelain throne doesn’t have a lot of variation.

Enter the Iota Toilet, a project by University of Huddersfield design students Gareth Humphreys and Elliott Whiteley. The toilet folds to save space in the bathroom. The designers also say that the futuristic toilet design would cut water consumption by 50% over a standard toilet.

The Iota Toilet works by utilizing a movable bowl. When the bowl is in the down position, it can be used as usual. When finished, the user then lifts the entire bowl up toward the wall. In doing so, the user connects the pipes in the bowl and a powerful burst of water is released to flush the waste away.

The folded toilet takes up much less space in the bathroom than a conventional toilet, but it is also lower to the ground. This can be a problem for older people or those with leg or knee problems. But the design, even with its potential flaws, is an aesthetically pleasing alternative to the open germ pools that most of us currently have in our bathrooms.